“You have expended much energy, Grettir, in your search for me.  Nor is that to be wondered at, if you should have little joy thereof.  And now I tell you that you shall possess only half the strength and firmness of heart that were decreed to you if you had not striven with me.  The might which was yours till now I am not able to take away, but it is in my power to ordain that never shall you grow stronger than you are now.  Nevertheless your might is sufficient, as many shall find to their cost.  Hitherto you have earned fame through your deeds, but henceforward there shall fall upon you exile and battle; your deeds shall turn to evil and your guardian-spirit shall forsake you.  You will be outlawed and your lot shall be to dwell ever alone.  And this I lay upon you, that these eyes of mine shall be ever before your vision.  You will find it hard to live alone, and at last it shall drag you to death.”

When the thrall had spoken the faintness which had come over Grettir left him.  He drew his short sword, cut off Glam’s head and laid it between his thighs.  Then the bondi came out, having put on his clothes while Glam was speaking, but he did not venture to come near until he was dead.  Thorhall praised God and thanked Grettir warmly for having laid this unclean spirit.  Then they set to work and burned Glam to cold cinders, bound the ashes in a skin and buried them in a place far away from the haunts of man or beast.  Then they went home, the day having nearly broken.

Grettir was very stiff and lay down to rest.  Thorhall sent for some men from the next farms and let them know how things had fared.  They all realised the importance of Grettir’s deed when they heard of it; all agreed that in the whole country side for strength and courage and enterprise there was not the equal of Grettir the son of Asmund.

Thorhall bade a kindly farewell to Grettir and dismissed him with a present of a fine horse and proper clothes, for all that he had been wearing were torn to pieces.  They parted in friendship.  Grettir rode to Ass in Vatnsdal and was welcomed by Thorvald, who asked him all about his encounter with Glam.  Grettir told him everything and said that never had his strength been put to trial as it had been in their long struggle.  Thorvald told him to conduct himself discreetly; if he did so he might prosper, but otherwise he would surely come to disaster.  Grettir said that his temper had not improved, that he had even less discretion than before, and was more impatient of being crossed.  In one thing a great change had come over him; he had become so frightened of the dark that he dared not go anywhere alone at night.  Apparitions of every kind came before him.  It has since passed into an expression, and men speak of “Glam’s eyes” or “Glam visions” when things appear otherwise than as they are.

Having accomplished his undertaking Grettir rode back to Bjarg and spent the winter at home.